Just followed a rig and a car about 20 minutes apart both displaying UHF CH18 but no call sign which made me think (now that hurt the few grey cells left) how do you ID the vehicle if I wanted to call him/her up. Is there some unwritten code that one has to use to to make contact.
Thought displaying a call sign would be the easy way around it.
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
just give a yell, say howdy, chances are if you are out in the sticks a bit he/she will be the only one that can hear you anyway, just say the vehicle type and ask him/her where he's going what he/she's been doing
we dont have a call sign or numbers on the back, probably should though, make it a lot easier if it was there
written on the back of Freda. Haven't got the UHF installed in Fred yet but when we do we will put the CH ?? on there as well.
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Guru & Ma Ulladulla NSW Happy day, safe travelling Ford Ranger towing 21ft Jurgen shower and toilet which was large enough to fit in a few extras (fridge, bed, stove...)
e They just call me "Granny" or "Rosy". Being a short range radio Dave's right about proximity. When I call up another vehicle I just quote colour or type or make of vehicle. They get it. I quite often call up trucks as they approach me from behind to let them know I am aware they're behind me, to advise of my average speed and to overtake when safe to do so. It works for me and them. Cheers Chris
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
I do not think it matters if you have a name to call or not. I have travelled from Mt Victoria to Marong in the last couple of days and have come across numerous Vans travelling in the opposite and same direction that have had UHF aerials and have attempted calling them but to no avail.
The day I receive a reply back I will be that shocked I will have to watch I do not run off the road. I think that most have UHF radios only for show. I use Channel 18, and at times think I must be using the wrong channel.
The radio I have does work as I have spoken to numerous transports.
Caravan parks are the pits most times. No one ever speaks to you and because I have two GSD's I am treated like the plague. Some Old people really give me the john dits at times.
I am still to see or meet any fellow GND's. Have been on the road for the past several months on and off and have not seen one sticker nor ribbon. In this part of he world I think I must be the only one that is displaying the sticker.
Now I have my winge for the day, I will back out of here gracefully
Have fn out there
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Someone said, "Cheer up, things could be worse." So I cheered up and things got worse.
I am still to see or meet any fellow GND's. Have been on the road for the past several months on and off and have not seen one sticker nor ribbon. In this part of he world I think I must be the only one that is displaying the sticker.
Now I have my winge for the day, I will back out of here gracefully
In our travels we haven't seen any GN stickers either. Did make arrangements to meet up with Basil when we were in Queanbeyan but that's all.
Oops..........forgot, when we did the GOR we saw Dave and Dusty but that was before our GN days. We were taking bets on whether Dusty was the dog or SWMBO
Don't worry Sarg, next time we go to Lithgow we will call in and see you. Have to go right through Mt. Vic and now that we "KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE"......lol......you better have the kettle on the boil.
Ma
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Guru & Ma Ulladulla NSW Happy day, safe travelling Ford Ranger towing 21ft Jurgen shower and toilet which was large enough to fit in a few extras (fridge, bed, stove...)
Im with you Pete, I often call up a fellow traveller to no avail, think they forget to turn the radio on, had a long conversation with a traveller on the Newell a few years ago, as to the best way to travel the block , east or west, met up with him in person in Forbes CP couple years later, amazing how quick the miles go when chatting He gets around in a silver 80s cruiser pulling a viscount aero, with "Ron uhf 18/40" on the back I got "Mike Judy uhf scanning" on the back of my van and the radios wired into the ignition so its on all the time
I'm a bit slow but I have to ask..................what is a GSD?? Should I know?
You must be in the wrong caravan parks............Daisy and I never seem to have problems talking to people when we camp up. Then again it may be different areas too.
We think that if someone won't talk to us then they are missing out on great company...........their loss !!
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!
A GSD is short for German Shepherd Dog I know, I hate phonetics also. Used to have a job where they used them all the time and I was always totally confused. BUT, then again, I am easily confused. I agree that I must visit the wrong CP's, as no one comes out of their Vans. They seem to hibernate in them, or they have something inside them that is really good
Ma, we have sold up from Mt Victoria. (getting away from those that have two heads and no necks) We have now purchased a place in Paradise Victoria. We are sitting in the Caravan Park at Marong Vic, waiting until we can move into the new place. If you are ever in the area and looking for somewhere to camp (and that goes for any other GN's) or just a chat and a cuppa feel free to call in. Always welcome.
Mike and Judy,
Glad that I am not the only one that talks to myself on the UHF
My God, the only thing with moving to Victoria, is having to display Vic Plates and have a Vic Licence. I am shattered. I think they talk funny down here too
Well, its going to be a nice day here, so I will get out and enjoy.
Stay well all, have a great one.
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Someone said, "Cheer up, things could be worse." So I cheered up and things got worse.
My God, the only thing with moving to Victoria, is having to display Vic Plates and have a Vic Licence. I am shattered. I think they talk funny down here too
Can understand the move out of six finger county.........LOL..........why do you think I left Lithgow.
As for the Mexicans...........think of me fondly and with compassion...........I married one...........
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Guru & Ma Ulladulla NSW Happy day, safe travelling Ford Ranger towing 21ft Jurgen shower and toilet which was large enough to fit in a few extras (fridge, bed, stove...)
thank god for the explanation of "german sheperd dog" I thought he meant "great slithering donger" and I thought well no wonder no-one talks to him
yep you are right about the uhf not being on, I commented a fair while ago that it is part of ones travelling paraphanaelia,
puddle dodger check
bull bar, check
mobile phone aerial check
spotlights check
uhf check
uhf usage nup!!!
I have called that many travellers and recieved absolute "silence" as a reward that in the end I just give up, even the ones with "mike and Mindy uhf 20, say Hi!" posted on the back dont have them turned on or they dont want to talk or something
if I say howdy to a truckie then more times than not I get a mouthfull of abuse, especially in victoria, nsw and the bottom end of south aus
we dont use ours until we hit a little bit of outback, wilpena and beyond, then if you say g'day then you make a freind instantly
Most people I know don't like to leave the UHF radio on in towns and especially cities because of the volume of radio traffic and the language. Maybe that's the reason they don't use them out on the open road, which seems to defeat the purpose of installing the thing in the first place. I'm usually on ch 40, but I do also scan. I've never, ever been abused by a truckie anywhere in this country. I've tried calling people up in all sorts of places but they don't seem to have their ears on either. I mainly listen for road and traffic conditions. I do get the sh.ts when I'm in range of a convoy of mates and the wives give each other a running commentary about the terrain and novel letter boxes they pass. "Did you see...?" GRRRRRRR. What a nuisance and waste of radio air space. Cheers Chris
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
I have to agree there is a need for some form of course to teach the user how to use the "B" thing properly, most have absolutely no idea of radio procedure and just blurt out their usually gabbled message over the top of some other user or without first establishing contact with their mate up the road or a base station if they have one to call. I have mine on Ch 18 and scan a number of others for EM calls.
I am surprised that a lot of users don't have a call sign , some of the drivers who obviously have UHF sets don't respond to rego numbers, vehicle type or colour or flashing lights. Possible can't remember all that stuff once their behind the wheel . I supposed its a lot like forums many like to watch but not participate is discussions. Wonder if they would use the radio if they needed help.
As a wise man once said "it is better to remain silent and thought a fool rather than speak and remove all doubt"
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Pets are welcome but children must be leashed at all times
Makes me wonder if we are doing the right thing by getting a UHF installed in "Fred" next week.
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Guru & Ma Ulladulla NSW Happy day, safe travelling Ford Ranger towing 21ft Jurgen shower and toilet which was large enough to fit in a few extras (fridge, bed, stove...)
I've done radio operators courses for emergency services. That's when procedure is taught and used. I don't think there is a radio procedure for UHF, although I do try to keep some sort of protocol when I'm on the air. Communication is the object of the exercise, and procedure is not high on the agenda. We can't always stand on formality and ceremony. Get used to it. Cheers Chris
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
I have one in "little blue" dont ask me why but I wouldnt be without it, just never know, it may come in handy one day
I start the old girl up every sunday morning just to give her a run, whilst shes warming up I switch the squawkbox on and it gives me a smile to listen to the drongoes that are on there with the constant dribble, but if I keep scanning then eventually I can "eavesdrop" on something decent, like a c.ocky trying to get a mob of sheep in and having no luck arranging his kids around the paddock
When we head north is when we use it most, better breed of people "out there" we often use it then but not around suburbia, too many no life drongoes
Do I REALLY want to have one of these things fitted????????????????!!!!!!!!!
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Guru & Ma Ulladulla NSW Happy day, safe travelling Ford Ranger towing 21ft Jurgen shower and toilet which was large enough to fit in a few extras (fridge, bed, stove...)
if you are heading "off track" up north and can not rely on phone coverage then I would state "yes you do need one" if just hugging the coast and a few minor forays into well travelled areas then no!
think it will look kewl........davo....by the way......I had to get a bike rack number plate for the rack....$21.... thankyou.....you cant get them in NSW...there you have to remove origional vehicle or trailer numberplate..and put it on the rack
Dave
-- Edited by Smokeydk on Friday 24th of July 2009 08:20:01 PM
I do not think it matters if you have a name to call or not. I have travelled from Mt Victoria to Marong in the last couple of days and have come across numerous Vans travelling in the opposite and same direction that have had UHF aerials and have attempted calling them but to no avail.
The day I receive a reply back I will be that shocked I will have to watch I do not run off the road. I think that most have UHF radios only for show. I use Channel 18, and at times think I must be using the wrong channel.
The radio I have does work as I have spoken to numerous transports.
Caravan parks are the pits most times. No one ever speaks to you and because I have two GSD's I am treated like the plague. Some Old people really give me the john dits at times.
I am still to see or meet any fellow GND's. Have been on the road for the past several months on and off and have not seen one sticker nor ribbon. In this part of he world I think I must be the only one that is displaying the sticker.
Now I have my winge for the day, I will back out of here gracefully
Have fn out there
Have to agree with you on this one, we have been ALL around Australia and are now back in WA, though not home yet, and we have tried on numerous occassions to make contact with fellow travellers displaying the channel they are using, and got a silent response, we thought our radio was not working but we tested it with a caravan near us.
So far we have had a truckie talk to us near Cloncurry, some caravanners near Mareeba, we actually interupted as they were seeking advice on Marreeba and we had just been there , then a caravan spoke to us yesterday. Not bad - 3 conversations and over 20,000 k's. As for meeting grey nomads, I have asked that many people if they are grey nomads or members of this site and they say no but are members of CMCA so far we have only met one other grey nomad. I have yet to see the grey nomad stickers on any RV.
We are in Halls Creek heading back home to the south west of WA. Who knows we might just get some response to the radio and meet some more fellow GN's.
Like sgntbilko I have had my winge and apart from the above we have had a fantastic trip around oz, seen some spectacular places, met some amazing people, in fact the reason we have not been on this site for sometime is because we have been too busy enjoying Australia
